160 



THE GEl^SEE FARMER. 



at the loss of the pears, and it was years before I 

 oould procure pear grafts ; for you must know that 

 for one pear at least live hundred apples are planted 

 in Canada. I do not think thei^ are (except my 

 own) fifty in this large township, and those are 

 continually dying otf. At first I grafted on the 

 native thorn, which did well, but having a bed of 

 young Hawthorns for hedges, I whip-grafted them, 

 and have now sixty planted out and doing well, 

 and have also given many away. I plant them in 

 large holes, covering the roots with rich chip earth, 

 plowing the junction line six inches below the sur- 

 face. In two or three years they will have roots 

 of their own, I am aware this is little difierent 

 from layering, and that not having such carrot 

 roots as pear stocks they will require higher culti- 

 vation ; but, on the other hand, as they acquire an 

 early fecundity from the thorn, they will never 

 ultimately attain the size of those on pear stocks, 

 but on that account are suitable for those who 

 want variety, or have not time or tact to train 

 pyramids on quinces. Mine are standards from 

 three to four feet, and have shoots from three to 

 five feet. Some strong growers in the bed formed 

 roots at the surface before they were removed. — 

 One, a Jargonelle, the third year from the graft, 

 on a six feet shoot, and had a cluster of five pears, 

 rather small of course, but when house-ripened 

 equal to any I ever tasted in Britain, and I have 

 frequently beei. in Covent Garden, London. These 

 pears were produced when it had no roots of its 

 own. Feeble growing pears, if not sunk, will flour- 

 ish on the thorn root and be very productive. I 

 purchased a Bartlett and a Beurre Dlel on pear 

 stocks, but they grow slowly ; but most of what I 

 see here either make no wood or at most an inch, 

 bear a fruit or two and then die. From what I 

 have observed in England, it is useless to cultivate 

 the pear without the soil is well animalized. It 

 can not thrive on land exhausted by cropping with- 

 out manuring heavily. Mice seem to have left us 

 now, but the trees I have are but a moiety of what 

 I grafted. Long fine shavings are the best pre- 

 ventive. EOBEET THOS. JOHNSTON. 

 AUrfoyU, O. W., March 15, 1S5S. 



PEACHES -THE AM. POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Editoes Genesee Farmke : — Can you, or some 

 of the horticultural readers of your journal, inform 

 me why the following-named Peaches, HilVs Chili, 

 Madeleine de Courson, and Teton de Venus, are 

 placed in the list for general cultivation in the Cata- 

 logue of the American Pomological Society ? It is 

 understood that nothing is to be placed in that list 

 except what has been thoroughly tried in various 

 localities and difl:erent sections of the Union, and 

 proved itself generally valuable. 



I^ow many cultivators know anything about the 

 three peaches mentioned above? and have they 

 been generally tested? In this vicinity, which is 

 probably as much of a peach section as any in the 

 CTv/i*"^'/^ ^one of these varieties are well known. 

 HilL s Chili has been cultivated by a few persons, 

 and only a few, and the other two varieties are 

 almost unheard of. 



At the last meeting of the Society, the subject of 

 peaches was discussed, and we find the followino- 

 m reference to these three sorts ; 



HilVi Chili. — Mr. Sylvester, of New York, recom- 

 mended this as being a good bearer every year, a 

 moderate grower, hardy, and about the same quality 

 as Crawford's Early. 



Mr. Prince remarked that nearly all yellow-fleshed 

 peaches are acid. He only knew of two sweet ones. 



Mr. PiNNET observed that it ripens between the Old 

 Mixon and Crawford's Late. 



Mr. H. E. Hooker said it was well known and much 

 esteemed. He would recommend it for trial. 



Recommended as promising well. 



Madeleine de Courson. — Mr. Saul recommended it tot 

 trial as one of the very best. 



Mr. Prince said that it was most delicious, and a 

 celebrated sort in France. 



Mr. Berckmans had known the crop from one tree 

 sold for eight hundred francs in France, and said that 

 it was a fine variety. 



Recommended as promising; well. 



Teton de Venus. — Mr. Saul considered this as of the 

 very highest character. It is a prodigious bearer. 

 Recommended as prmnising well. 



From the above, it appears, by the number that 

 participated in the discussion, that among the lar^ 

 and experienced corps of horticulturists present at 

 that meeting these fruits were but little known, and 

 they were recommended only as promising welL 

 How, then, is it that they appear in tlie list for 

 general cultitation, by the authority of that same 

 convention ? Is there not some mistake about this, 

 and have not the names of those fruits crept into 

 that list through inadvertence ? 



I hope that some one informed on this subject 

 will reply to my queries, as it is a question of some 

 importance, both to planters and nurserymen, and 

 the Catalogue of the American Pomological Society 

 ought to be such a one as can be relied" on. 



RochetUr, N. F., April, 1S53. E. C. N. 



FORMATION OF HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



Editors Genesee Farmer : — Permit me, as one 

 experienced as to the actual benefits, to say a few 

 words to your subscribers about the formation of 

 Horticultural Societies. No one can imagine the 

 fuU benefits to be derived from the formation of 

 these societies until they have taken an active part 

 in them. They are of benefit to all who join them. 



I would say to your readers, my friends, if there 

 are any lovers of this beautiful art (as doubtless 

 there are) in your village or neighborhood, speak 

 to them at once about forming a Horticultural 

 Society. You can have monthly meetings for dis- 

 cussions at which essays might be read on different 

 ways of cultivating land, transplanting trees, on the 

 best manures, exchange of seeds, plants, etc., which 

 would make them interesting to all parties ; and- 1 

 am sure there is no father who has a son old enough 

 to think of beginning to look around for himself 

 that would object to his attending those meetings. 



These societies are of special benefit to the young 

 of both sexes. They would keep young men out 

 of evil company ; for in all villages a young man 

 must spend part of his everyngs somewhere — either 

 in the bar-room or in some store — to hear the idle 

 gossip of the place, which is of no earthly benefit 

 to him. 



Talk with them about this matter. Call a meet- 

 ing a some convenient place, and take into consid- 

 eration the formation of a society of this kind, p. 



